I woke up, snuggled against Kaorah's scaly body. She was still quietly snoring, and there was a small smile on her face. The sunlight hadn't begun to shine through the window yet. Mewtwo was already up, having started on his morning meditation. We were up early because it had actually been fairly early when we went to bed the night before, and none of us were really that tired.
Even so, the choice to go to bed early was part of preparing for a dungeon run. We've got the one that we didn't finish before. I felt Kaorah's arms move, allowing me to get up. I began quietly going through my own morning things. I could hear water running from the other room, so at least one of the girls is up.
By the time I had finished, Lexie was already wide awake. She'd stepped into our room.
"Mornin' Lexie." I greeted her quietly.
"Good morning. Are we the only three who are up right now?" She asked.
"Yeah. For myself, it depends on when I go to bed." I said.
"I used to have trouble getting to sleep, due to past reasons. It's much easier now, but like him, it also depends on when I go to sleep. Meditation certainly helps." Mewtwo said.
"Oh, alright. In my case, I'm a very early riser. Usually, I'll be awake by the time the horizon has barely begun to change color." Lexie said. "Well at least, I know that I won't always be the only one up early."
"Yeah. Come on, we'll go take a walk, wait for the others to wake up, then we'll go get breakfast." The three of us quietly stepped out, and I locked the door behind us. We walked downstairs, and much like a previous event, found Nurse Joy asleep at her desk. Only she had a coffee cup nearby, so it seems that even caffeine didn't help her stay awake, not this time.
I walked over and gently grabbed her by the right shoulder and shook her awake.
"Mmm…huh? What time is it."
"Oh-five-hundred. Late night?" I asked.
"Rough night. Had an emergency situation." She said as she set up, groaning from what was likely soreness.
"What happened?"
"Rangers, brought in some injured Pokemon. It was bad, but we were able to stabilize them, at least." She said.
"Poachers?" I asked.
"Yeah, that's…what they said it was. One of the Rangers had a Psychic type who translated. They were…very lucky to have survived." It seems that Poachers in general are a problem here.
"Did they give any names or outfits?"
"No, no names, or outfits. Pokemon Poachers have been a real problem as of late." And that sort of confirms what I was just thinking.
"If we…run into them, we'll see what we can do, but they might not make it out of that."
"Are you saying that you might…"
"If it comes to it, yes. We'll certainly try to capture, but if it's clear there's no other option then…"
"I understand. Thanks for…waking me up, at least." I helped her to stand.
"Do you have a personal room here?" I asked.
"Yes, this way. I need to freshen up." While she didn't get a good night's sleep, she did still get some rest, at least.
"You two can wait here if you want, I'll be along shortly." I told the pair that was with me. And then, I started helping Nurse Joy to her room. Bent over like she was all night, can't have been great for her.
"I see now why my relatives have mentioned knowing a really nice guy." She commented, as we got near her room.
"Yeah. I'm glad to help out when I can. Even for something simple like this." I replied. "Still, I hope your soreness goes away."
"It will, I think I just need to stretch out for a while. Think that magic your Gardevoir has would help?"
"I'm sure it would." I said. "It's called Restoration Magic, which is strictly healing, usually. Though I'm sure it could also be pretty effective against Ghost Types." We might have to test that, if the chance ever arises.
"Thanks for your help. I should be fine from here." I let her go when she leaned against the wall.
"Alright. I'm going out for a walk with the two I left in the foyer. We'll be back in a little bit." I returned to the pair that was waiting on me.
"Is she alright?" Mewtwo asked as I returned.
"She's fine, just sore. It'll pass in a little bit."
"As brief as it's been, I can already tell why your Pokemon like you so much." Lexie said as we stepped outside. "You're a very nice person."
"He is, but if you've done something to make him mad, well…" Mewtwo trailed off, choosing to not go into detail about the warehouse raid.
Our walk didn't go too far from the Pokemon Center. We talked as we went, mostly Lexie asking about things we'd done up to this point. Mewtwo and I gladly filled her in on everything she wasn't here for, including my unusual abilities, and how my stats shared with everyone on the team.
"You know…I have a question about something." Lexie said.
"What's up?"
"Since this is supposed to be based on your world in some way…think your old home is here?" She asked.
"My…huh. That, is a good question." Of course, no telling what state it would be in.
"Think it might be worth paying a visit if it is?" Mewtwo asked.
"Maybe. There's no way to know what state it'll be in. Or, if the system has even added it." I said.
"There's only one way to find out. We should wait for the others to get up, first."
"They should be, by now. We've been out here long enough, I think." We returned, and found Nurse Joy at her desk. She looked much better now than when she woke up, a couple hours before.
"Mewtwo, go on up and get the others, please. We'll meet you in the cafeteria."
"I don't remember the centers being…this big." Lexie said, as we entered the cafeteria. I started to put my usual choices together, after picking out a large enough table for us all to sit at. I guess word about how my team travels is definitely getting around now.
"Yeah, mostly because they also serve as places for Trainers like myself to stay whenever they're in a city for a few nights. The rooms are provided for free, as well as breakfast." I explained. "There's also a much larger medical facility. The process takes a fair bit longer, having the patients treated in real time, rather than just being in their ball, in a machine that does it in seconds, though I've heard those do exist, for serious emergencies."
"Healing in real time doesn't really sound all that efficient, without good items." Lexie put her own plate together, and we sat down just as the others entered the cafeteria. "Still, the rest of it all, beats what's back home. Now, I don't mind camping, at all, it just gets a bit repetitive. At least, people randomly having ingredients appear in their pockets when my previous trainer talked to them, is somewhat convenient."
"Speaking of camping, you ever roast a marshmallow over an open flame?" I asked.
"Uh, no. Going to have to say that I have not."
"Well, we're going to have to fix that. Next time we're on a route, when our travel time isn't massively reduced by unknown forces, I'll have to do that. Fire-roasted marshmallows are the best. Add in graham crackers and chocolate to make S'mores, though, and it becomes even better."
"Well, it definitely sounds good, at least." Lexie said. Pretty soon, the rest of the group joined us by the table. As we began to dig in, Mewtwo asked something.
"So, I have a question. Since our world is supposed to be based off yours…and if your past home really is here, like with what Lexie asked earlier…" This got the others' attention. "Do you think there might be a way for us to visit it, maybe?"
"We'll…see." I said. "I'm not really…comfortable, with the whole idea, to be honest with you, but…I think we can do it."
"If you're not comfortable with it, then we don't have to go."
"Yes, but…I think…you guys at least deserve a glimpse. This world is only based off the one I left behind, so it would be really…strange, for it to exist. It's not a one to one recreation with the eight regions placed into parts of the world."
I continued to think over it while we focused on breakfast. And as we began to finish up, one by one, I came to a decision.
"Guys and gals," I got their attention, "I have made a decision. Huddle up, and Mewtwo will take us there. He knows where to go." The world blurred, and when it returned…we stood at the end of a gravel driveway…and a yard with some rather tall grass. The area didn't show on any maps, at all.
[Break]
"Well…here we are." I was trembling, bad. I don't remember the last time I ever got this shaky.
"Are you alright? You look like you're scared or something." Kaorah asked.
"I'll…be fine." She and Melanie wrapped me up in embraces from either side. And I started to take the same, slow deep breaths that I had taught Mewtwo, not long after we met him. As I got it in check, they began to release me.
"Thanks, you two."
"We're here for you, as much as you are for us." Kaorah said.
"We're more than just teammates now." Melanie added.
"Come on, let's pay this old ghost of my past, a visit." As we approached, it soon came into view. I felt…strange, walking up here again. What was this even doing here? Why was it added?
--Event quest started: Homecoming--
--Objective 1: Explore the remains of your past with your team.--
--Rewards: Whatever you choose to take with you when you leave. Keep in mind, you won't be able to use everything, and likely shouldn't take everything, either.--
Failure Conditions: Literally impossible
--Entering separate instance. While you are in this area, time outside will not move along, but will resume once you leave. When you leave, this area will no longer be available for future visits.--
That's good to know, so I guess…this was put in here as a strictly one-time thing. As we walked up the driveway, Lexie was the first one to round the corner and see…what I wasn't looking forward to. As you'll all recall, the details…are in the first chapter.
"Oh Arceus…what happened here?" The others quickly hurried to see what she had. And there it was, the remains of the part of my old home, which used to be my room.
"That…is the result of severe weather." I felt Mewtwo put a hand on my shoulder. "The rest of you don't know about my past life, yet…so you wouldn't have known about this." It was a pretty big tree too, looks like it crushed my room, and the kitchen.
Mewtwo blasted the back door open, and a huge puff of dust was blown out of the doorway. Place must've sat for…who knows how long.
"You know…without the damage from the tree falling, this is a pretty nice place." Pidgeotto commented.
"Yeah…it was. I lived here for such a long time, and it kinda hurts, seeing it the way it is now." I stepped into what was the living room. It had been damaged, as well. The ceiling fan had fallen, breaking into pieces on the floor in the middle of the room.
"Hey Zery, look at this." Melanie's soft voice reached my ears. I smiled when I saw it, a box with art on it, one whose lid had Solgaleo on the left side, and Lunala on the right. It contained a bunch of collectable items for Sun and Moon. I had gotten it on sale, because the book inside was considered a strategy guide. Without that, it would've been about 100$ or so.
"I'm really happy to see that made it. Come here, everyone. Sit down for a bit so I can show you guys this." I turned the box over, showing three small Pokemon on the back. From left to right: an owl, with a bow tie made of leaves, a black and red cat, and a blue seal. Rowlett, Litten, and Popplio, The Alolan starters. Personally, I had chosen Popplio as my own, when I played through Ultra Moon.
"These, are what Alola's starter choices are. Mine, at that time, was the one on the right." I opened the box after flipping it over again. The first thing on top was an old envelope, the tears from opening it still present.
--For you, Pokemon Trainer.-- Was written on the outside. Within was a letter of authenticity, with a number. No. 05069/20,000. There was even a small sketch of Selene, I believe, with a Rowlet on her shoulder, and an Alolan Exeggutor in the background.
"Must feel different, seeing that when you're actually a Trainer." Kaorah said.
"Yeah…definitely hits differently." I said.
Beneath what had been the letter, a massive book. Its cover design was similar to that of the box, but opening it revealed that it was a full Sun/Moon or Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon strategy guide. Everything in the box still smelled brand new, too. Because I rarely ever opened the thing, in the past.
"Yeah…this, might shake up your realities a little bit." I said.
"Zery, with the powers you have, technically, we're already in a video game." Melanie said.
"Excellent point." She's absolutely right. Although, I feel it's better to just say it's a technicality, rather than view this world as just a game. Because the folks around me right now are as real as I am.
Beneath that, an Alola passport, with stickers already on its pages,a bookmark with the Z-crystals on it, and, an ink pen, still brand new. Its metallic case not marked by fingerprints, at all.
"Think they'd let you use that passport in the real Alola?" Mewtwo asked.
"I highly doubt that. Imagine you were one of the officials, and some random person just came to the Region on a plane, or a ship. And they had a passport which had already gotten full completion marks."
"That would be…very suspicious." Lexie commented.
"Exactly. Now if I say it's just a collectable replica, then no problems to be had." Not that anyone's going to see it anyways, outside of the team and maybe aunt Delia, when I take this to my new home in Kanto. It's absolutely going on my shelf.
Beneath the items, a folder.
--Alola Region Concept Artwork.-- It was labeled, and there was a sticker, too. --Caution: some images may contain game spoilers!--
Below the folder, which everyone began to pass around, two last things. An Alola Region Travel Journal, might come in handy for making extra notes. And…I picked up the last object before unfolding it, into a massive poster. On one side- artwork for the game, and the other…a map of the entire Alola region.
"Wow…all of that in one box, huh?" Kaorah asked.
"Yeah, collector's stuff." I said. "When Pokemon was still fictional to me, I loved the franchise very, very much, through all of what I experienced. I started with the fourth generation, and I've been hooked since then."
"Hey, what's…uh, Skyrim?" Solais found a book, just barely out of the way of being crushed.
"That would take a long time to explain. What you found is a guide for it, though. A very in-depth one." I saw Melanie looking at the shelf that had survived that night, so long ago.
"What about these?" The top shelf, within the case. Several figures stood.
"A collection of some old things of mine. If you point them out, I can tell you what they were."
"We'll start with this." A robot figure, with wings not too unlike that of an angel.
"Wing Zero, specifically the version from Endless Waltz." I said. "To its right, the solid white one with the red frames under its armor, well that's from the series that Genesect boss we fought was from. That, is the RX-0 Unicorn Gundam. It's from the first Gundam series I ever watched to completion." Granted, I watched the OVA version, but still. Loved Unicorn.
"The third of that bunch, is the Barbatos, from Iron Blooded Orphans. And the last, the one on the display stand, is the AMS-123X-X Moon Gundam, from Mobile Suit Moon Gundam. It's the only one on the shelf, from a series I haven't watched." I had been thinking about my next one to get, as far as gunpla goes, for a while. Had been stuck between Freedom, Banshee, and Exia, at the time.
"Those models have to be built from scratch, using parts that are stored in what's called a model kit. Each one took me several hours of work, but they were worth it." I had noticed the Unicorn fell over, so I carefully stood it back up. One of its left knee joints was rather loose, so it didn't like to stay up if it got bumped in just the right way.
"What about the two smaller statues?" Mewtwo asked.
"Not really just statues, those are special figures called Amiibo. Meant to work with certain games, at the time." One was an Inkling, the other, an Octoling. Both were from another series known as Splatoon, one that I didn't play too often, but loved every second when I did.
"The one with the crown is called Pearl, and the one with the rifle, that's Agent Eight."
"The one nobody has asked about, big and blue with the red helmet, he's a Primaris Marine of the Ultramarine Chapter, from a series called Warhammer." 40K, specifically. I mostly play Dawn of War Soulstorm, to be honest, with its Ultimate Apocalypse mod, so my Warhammer knowledge is fairly limited. Although, my parents did, at least at one point, have the models for the tabletop, but only to paint them.
"Is that a Switch?" Lexie carefully picked up something that had been beside my TV. I was very glad to see at least, that thing made it. "And what's this big, brick looking thing, here?" And what was in front of the Switch, a huge black box with two single buttons on its front face. My old keyboard still plugged into its front USB slot.
"That…is an Xbox Series X, the most expensive thing I ever bought, in my past." It probably... doesn't work anymore, sadly. The room lacks any sort of power due to obvious reasons. The meter was even crushed, so it would be a wonder if there's any power in the house, at all.
Part of my former mattress was still visible, no sign of my previous body, at all…likely because it wouldn't be wise to leave that lying around. Still, I sat on what was there, and sighed quietly, I missed this old thing.
I doubt I could even take it with me. The frame and box spring were ruined. The mattress itself would eventually shift back into its proper shape, but the rest…unfortunately not. It was a pillow top, and super comfortable to sleep on. Plus being the only mattress I ever had, that was big enough for me to not have my feet hang off the end.
"Man, compared to the beds back home, this thing is huge." Solais commented. I helped her to get up, since it was quite large, even with the damaged state it was in.
"Yeah, king size. It was the only one that could actually fit me without needing to lay diagonally."
"How tall are you, exactly?" Lexie asked, reminding me that my height carried over.
"Six-foot-six, which is why compared to most folks back home, I look so much larger." Course, family was used to it, but I didn't miss the brief looks of surprise whenever anyone saw me. Actually, I think if I didn't get those because of my height, I'd feel a little odd. I'm so used to being noticed because of it.
"Well, certainly explains how you can share a bed with something like her," Lexie nodded at Kaorah, "and not be at least a little uncomfortable."
"Hey, height does have its advantages." Such as being the one others go to when they can't reach something, and don't want to stand on an object. But there are disadvantages too. Low doorways, and I absolutely hate low ceilings.
"Fair, but so does having wings, or means to produce something to reach further than any arm could."
"Or telekinesis, for that matter." Melanie cut in. "Hey, what about this? It was in front of the box." A black and blue stick, but more than just any. On its end, there was a gem with a small frost dragon on it. I carefully took it from her before making sure the attachment wasn't loose.
"It's a wand, actually. Just, not functional…not without specific circumstances."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, this one in particular, is from a vacation I took one year, or rather, one part of that vacation. A game called Magic Quest. This was made to set off special objects scattered about, which players could fully interact with. And it was great exercise, too." I haven't played that in years, of course. But the two times I did get to play, it was super fun.
"Think there's some way to turn it into an actual, functional one? It might really help me with my own powers." Melanie has an excellent idea.
"If there is, we'll be notified of it…eventually." Could probably see if there's someone on the Cross-world Market that could do it. Would be super expensive, I'm sure, but probably worth it, too.
"What about this? Why keep a towel in a drawer?" Kaorah had pulled open the bottom drawer of the bedside table. As she was about to unwrap it, Mewtwo stopped her.
"I may have seen…glimpses. You uh, probably shouldn't unwrap that." He told her. I quickly realize what it was, and for reasons, I'm not going to go into detail here. I did feel my face heating up though.
"Zeryph, anything you'd like to say?" Kaorah asked me.
"Uh, that's…supposed to be…extremely private. And I'd rather not go into detail on it."
"Hmph, fine, I guess. Well if it's anything for personal use…because the scent in there is somewhat similar to yours…" blast your sense of smell… "you don't need it anymore." Well, that's a fair point, at least. Saves me the trouble of actually having to explain what's in there.
"Wonder if it's tied to this somehow." Melanie had opened the small cubby in the desk my consoles and TV sat on. There was a small sticker in there. A dragon's head, but with a design so that it had flowers on it, and two letters I hope I don't have to explain, "BD".
"What is this from?" She asked. Mewtwo slowly facepalmed.
"Well..good luck with this. I'm not bailing you out of this one." And…suddenly he's a traitor. But to be fair, if anyone would already know, it's Mewtwo. Since some information did slip through when he did that memory dive.
"Oh no…well, that's..uh…kinda hard to explain without feeling…really awkward." Especially around more than just the two I've slept with.
"I kinda…don't want to explain this to everyone, so…Melanie and Kaorah can stay at least, and Mewtwo already knows. The rest of you, give us a few minutes, please. You can look around the rest of the house if you want, just please try not to damage anything. I might want to salvage some stuff."
As they cleared out of the ruined room, I shut the door behind them…course, with gaping holes in the wall, that might not do much good. But I'd seen where they all went anyways, so they're being respectful.
"Alright, so…explain, please." Kaorah was the first to break the silence before it made the situation anymore awkward.
"Well…that's, uh…a special sticker sent with orders made around a certain time of year. That's the…Valentine's Day design of the…Bad Dragon logo." If you know what that is, great…you understand how painfully awkward this situation is becoming. If you don't know what that is…good for you, don't look it up. I mean, unless you really want to.
"Bad…Dragon?" Melanie asked.
Mewtwo had also cleared out of here, since he already knew. I don't blame him for not wanting to stay for this.
"Yeah…they…make toys."
"Oh that's not so bad…or is it?" Kaorah asked.
"No, not children's toys." Arceus, no. "They're…toys, for adults." Please don't ask to specify…
"What do you mean?" Melanie asked. Damn…well, that makes this the most uncomfortable I've ever been in this whole thing so far. And I guess the thing I said about not looking it up? Well…guess you're about to find out anyway, if you didn't already know.
"Oh lord, here we go. Well…I guess, no point in keeping it away, but please understand, I am not taking this thing with me. How could I use it when the real thing's way better?" I picked up the towel and unwrapped it, revealing…
"Is that a fake--"
"Yes, yes it is." My cheeks felt like they were burning.
"Woo…I don't think I've ever seen you get that red before. Relax, dear."
"Kinda hard when one of my biggest secrets, ever, just got revealed. To my lovers, no less."
Melanie picked it up and inspected it…which only made feel worse.
"So, how does it work? It doesn't look like it goes in anything…wait…do you take--"
"Y-yeah…"
"And you put it into--"
"Uh-huh…" It's molded to be as though it belonged to an anthrofied Dragoness, to be clear. I don't remember her name…but the specific toy's named after her. Duke, the mascot, is her boss, or something, if I remember that right, at least. I think the actual character's name is…Janine? Maybe? I'm not too sure on that.
"Well that…explains why your scent is on it, at least…or rather, partially on it."
"I don't smell exactly like I used to in my first life, so it would only be partially familiar." I had hidden my face in my hands by now, but I knew they still heard me.
"Hey, we don't think any different, do we?"
"No, no we don't."
"And besides, I'm sure mine feels infinitely better."
"Kaorah!"
"What? I'm just saying." Well, she's certainly…not wrong.
"If you two develop a rivalry over that, of all things, we're gonna have some issues." I said. "Now, please…put that thing away so I can finally stop feeling like I want to die of embarrassment." I heard the…thing, be put back where it came from.
"Girls, that was…out of line, to say the least." I finally started to recover, after a moment or two.
"Oh, we know. We're just teasing, is all." Melanie said.
"Hey, at least you didn't get a nosebleed, this time." Kaorah added. Which is certainly true. "Although, I'll admit…I wouldn't mind seeing--"
"Hon, enough, please."
"Fine, fine. I've done enough." She nuzzled my cheek. "And you're going to find a way to get payback on us for this, aren't you?"
"Maybe I could mention that time from when you were a Gible." I said. Kaorah's eyes widened, and she frantically shook her head.
"No, no, no, absolutely not. Uh-uh…we are not having any discussion about THAT." She frantically denied the idea of it.
"Discussion of what?" Melanie asked. I don't have any means to get back at her, though.
"Not…one…word, out of you. Clear?"
"Oh, perfectly, mistress." Despite my tone, I was grinning through the whole thing.
"Wait…your memory dive…oh, Arceus…did Mewtwo?"
"No, he didn't. I felt that was a little too private to throw in there."
"Oh, thank Arceus." Kaorah let out a sigh of relief. "The less likely anyone finds out about THAT, the better."
"Seriously, what are you two talking about?" Melanie asked.
"You don't need to know. Even if you're with us for a long time, I plan to never let that get out as long as I can help it." Kaorah answered.
"Whatever." Melanie shrugged. "Hey, since we're here, and not in Celadon, we could-"
"No, sweetheart. Unless of course, you were going to mention the idea of anthro forms."
"That's…what I was going to say, yeah. What, did you think I was going to ask if we could…" She blinked, then there was a smirk on her face. "You totally were, weren't you?"
Kaorah bopped me on the head, lightly.
"You get upset over us teasing you about an old personal belonging, and then you go and assume what she's suggesting involves us being alone together. Well, to be fair, anthrofy does kinda rely on that, but still. THAT, is bedroom or shower only."
My blush returned, though not nearly as bad as it was a moment ago.
"I...guess I was." I said, with a shrug. "Still, it's not a bad idea to keep in mind, for the future."
"Do you really think you could handle us both at once?" Kaorah asked.
"We might just find out...some day." I said. I felt the warmth of the requested spell in my hands, and I cast it without a second thought. The sound drew the attention of the others, of course. They all returned one by one, with Lexie being the most surprised at what she saw.
"I, uh…didn't know you could do…that." She said.
"Wanna try it?" Solais asked her, while using a paw to indicate that she wanted it, too. I cast it on her, as requested, and she stood and stretched, before hopping between her feet to get used to standing on two legs.
"I mean…sure, I guess. Can't be too different from Gigantamax, right?"
"Well, you'll see. Hold still." I cast it on her. She gained a little extra height, though not too much. Her ears didn't change, but the shape of her body did, becoming much more feminine, with an obvious athletic build. She gained breasts, much like the others whenever they change, and thankfully, something to cover them with. A jersey that matched the red fur on her legs. Which, for whatever reason, had become a separate pair of shorts now.
With the black fur on her legs also separating, and becoming socks, though they were likely thin to make up for her fur, being beneath them. Course, the color soaking up heat like a sponge wouldn't bother her, fire type and all that.
"Whoa…that's…definitely a strange feeling." She adjusted to the changes surprisingly quickly. "So, first of…these things." She put her hands on her chest. "How do any of you handle having these? And why did I get an outfit, anyway?"
"For the first part of that, the breasts are part of it. Nothing that can be done really. You won't know how your body's shape is set, until you change for the first time, same with you getting an outfit."
"Kaorah and Solais don't have one, and Kaorah doesn't even have anything to cover up with. Solais at least has fur."
"Something I find myself wondering about…" Pidgeotto spoke up, "is, do you think that works on Mewtwo?"
"That's…a good question. I mean, it didn't specify at first so, maybe?"
"If it's alright with you, I think I'll pass on it, for now." Mewtwo said. Fair enough.
"And if it works on him, then it definitely will work on me, as well. Though I'm at least a little curious, I think I'll also pass." Pidgeotto said.
"That's fine. Hey…how about we finish up here, and move onto the things we did plan to do today?" I asked. When everyone gave their agreements, I began to gather what few things I definitely wanted to take, and then, we all returned to the spot we arrived at. And I returned the girls to their normal forms, because there's no telling where we'll pop up.
--Are you ready to leave? Remember, you can never return here, once you do.--
"Yes, we are." The world around us blurred.
[Break]
When the world came back into focus, we were in my aunt's house, in Pallet Town.
"Oh goodness, Zeryph. Don't pop in suddenly like that." Delia had been startled by our sudden appearance.
"Sorry, Auntie. It wasn't exactly planned, I'll be honest. I've got a few things to drop off, then we're going back to Celadon." As I went to drop off what I had taken, I heard her start to talk with my team.
"It looks like my nephew has gathered quite the team."
"He has." Mewtwo said. "He's been a great trainer, for all of us, so far. Lexie, our Cinderace, is the newest member. She's not active roster yet, however. He's gotta earn the right to send her into battle."
"I understand." My aunt said. "So, I have some questions I'd like to ask, for everyone."
"Go right ahead." Mewtwo said. "I'll translate, when it's necessary." I didn't hear the rest, because of my door being shut, quietly. I took out the things I gathered, and began to set them up the way I wanted, making sure they were in places they wouldn't be disturbed.
The Unicorn was sat so that its back was against the back of its shelf. I never did figure out why the left knee joint was so loose. I don't want to pull the thing apart, either, since that would take quite some time.
A soft knock drew my attention to the door, before it swung open.
"Hey Zery."
"Hey Mel, not feeling up to group conversation?" I asked.
"Not that, she just didn't really have any questions for me." Her arms wrapped around me and her head rested on my left shoulder. I reached up with my left hand to rub her cheek. "Looks like you found a place for everything."
"Yeah, I did." There was just one more thing I found, which wasn't mentioned prior. A picture…of a grassy lawn in the midst of spring, just before the start of summer. The year, I didn't remember. And right in the center, a black, furry loaf. Or rather, a cat laying in loaf mode, her green/yellow eyes focused on the camera that had taken the picture.
I smiled, sadly. I've lost family, and sure I miss them, but this cat…her loss hit surprisingly hard at the time. Immortalized as a Smeeta Kavat in Warframe, and now in the form of a picture here in this new world, too.
"Who's that?" Melanie asked. I felt her grip tighten just a little, I guess she could tell that my mood had shifted.
"That's…an old, and very dear friend. She was part of my life for nineteen years, before she passed away in June of…the year was 2021 at the time. I still miss her, even now." I wiped at a small tear that had formed.
"Aww…I'm very sorry to hear that. I bet she was a great cat, at least."
"Oh, believe me, Hemi was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, pet that I ever had. She was the first black cat in the family, and the first one I really bonded with. Ultimately, it was an infection that she succumbed to, rather than old age on its own."
"Hemi?"
"Yeah, we named her that because her purring was very loud. Loud motor, we sometimes called it. If the room was quiet, she could be across the room and you could hear it." I reached out with my right hand and touched the picture as gently as I could, right on top of the cat's head.
"If she could be around here…"
"I'd love that, but…it would be much harder on her than you would realize. She's not a Pokemon, which you seem to already be aware of. She's just a regular, yet very special, house cat." While not the first pet I had, as we had plenty of cats before we found her, she was definitely around for the longest.
"All that matters to me is the great years I've had with that cat around. I was the one who had to make the choice, and it was the hardest I ever had to make. Still, I made my peace with it, and I spent the last of her final hours by her side to say my goodbyes, before my parents took her to the vet. The staff even sent me a card, with a paw print on it." My eyes began to sting.
"Tears…are you…"
"Yeah…I had the strength to get through it, but now…telling the story to someone else, it's…it's hard, ya know?" I felt the tears break free, though I wouldn't allow for much more than that. I'm strong, sure, but I'll admit that I've cried over things, too. I won't bottle it up, because sometimes, you just gotta let it out, ya know?
"Here, come on." I was pulled into an embrace, which I returned. We stood like this for, a while, before anyone else knocked. Melanie silently rubbed my back while I silently cried over that loss, something that I didn't really do at the time. But, eventually, I started to get control of myself. And as the tears ceased, there was a knock at the door.
"Zeryph, may I…" Mewtwo trailed off as he came in. "Is everything…alright?"
"Yes, I think we're just about OK, now." Melanie let me go, before turning around to face the door.
"Thanks, Mel."
"No problem. You did the same for me, just two nights ago, when I was…" She smiled. "Still…as lovers, comforting each other is important."
"Yeah, you're right." Mewtwo saw the picture that I had set on the shelf, and I saw the recognition.
"That's…"
"Yeah, that's her." As we left the room, I shut the door behind myself. "Let's gather the others, we've gotta get back to Celadon. We've got a dungeon to run." Mewtwo knew about Hemi, from the memory dive, and all the great moments that cat was at the center of. Including my first Prom night. She decided she was gonna sit, in front of myself and my date that night, and be part of our picture. We thought it was funny, that she did that. Her cattitude knew no bounds, sometimes.
"You're right, we do." We proceeded to gather the others, before saying our own goodbyes, at least for now, to my aunt. Then, the world blurred around us, as Mewtwo used Teleport.
[Break]
The world came back into focus, and we were in our rooms. Mewtwo had taken us to them directly, instead of to the Pokemon Center's entrance.
"I noticed your eyes looked a little puffy, before we left. Everything OK?" Kaorah asked.
"Yeah, just…a tough story to tell. I'll…share later, but I feel much better now that I've actually shared it."
"Good…now, we've got work to do." We all stepped through the portal, right into the very same boss arena.
"I see, you have returned, challengers." The very same Lucario was waiting for us. "Are you ready to finish this battle?"
"Yes, but this time…" Mewtwo took an empowerment seed and ate it, changing into his Mega-X form. "I will not face you alone." I gave out the seeds to those who could change forms, and shielded my eyes as they all powered up simultaneously.
"Excellent." The Lucario said. He stood, before bringing his paws together and bowing his head, a gesture which I returned. "And that is why you failed the first time. You were overconfident, in the power you wield. You chose to fight alone. But now, you face me at full strength, but with allies at your side. You shall not fail this time. But, I won't make it easy, either."
He pulled his hands apart, drawing on the power of Aura to create a staff, shaped to look like a bone. He tested the staff, making sure it was weighted to his preferences, before taking a stance.
"Prepare yourselves. This old warrior isn't holding back anymore." His good eye flashed, shifting from yellow to bright orange, as he not only Mega Evolved, but bright white markings formed around his eyes. So…I guess, this is his secret. Every boss so far, or at least some, have had abilities taken from other things.
The mini-Kurama that Zoroark turned into. The Genesect with the AMA-X7 drones. The anthro Absol's katana resembling Virtuous Dignity. Yeah...I don't think there was any mention of what the sword looked like at the time (Love Nier Automata). And now, a combination that I've wanted to make happen since this story started. Since before that, even. A Lucario, enhanced by the power of Sage Mode.
"He's right, this will not be easy." I said.
"Any idea what that power is?"
"Sage mode, something taken from the Naruto series, much like that Ninetales transformation, a while back." Kaorah growled when I mentioned that pain in the ass. "It's going to give a huge boost to all his stats, but it has a time limit. Don't focus on offense while he's got that power going, focus on defense. When it wears off, switch to offense. Don't give him the chance to hold still, or he'll activate it again."
The armored Lucario pulled his scarf from around his neck, much like before, and tossed it to the side. And much like the first time around, he vanished. But this time, several loud bangs filled the room as weights fell to the floor. Mewtwo easily fended off the initial rush, with Kaorah quickly moving to assist him.
She drew the attention onto herself, being much stronger physically, meant she was much better suited for drawing the enemy's focus. The Lucario split his staff into halves, and began to fend them both off at the same time. Even though he was blind in one eye, his power to sense Aura, and his Sage Mode amp, more than made up for it.
Ya know, my previous comment about Sage Mode might've been tied in, somehow. Maybe he always had it, but didn't need to use it at the time. Still, it meant that dodging was going to be much harder. Though, our opponent was forced to dodge, when a fireball nearly hit him. As it met the ground, it expanded, quickly growing into a miniature sun that scorched the ground around it. It faded within a few moments, and also explains what Melanie had thrown into the dust clouds, during that gym battle.
I didn't notice at the time, or at least, didn't give it any attention. She had left two huge scorch marks behind. It certainly explains what she had thrown, and the system's choice of background music, but still.
"Anything I should know about him?" Solais was the only one not engaged, being a Dark Type. She was at a severe disadvantage.
"You're smart to not engage, not just because of his typing, but also…I believe our opponent might have Justified, in addition to the amps he already has going." His timer was down to three minutes by now, but he was still going strong. As were the members of my team who were fighting.
"So…you have to fight Pokemon with ridiculous powers every day?" Lexie asked.
"No, not at all. We only do dungeons like this, every so often. Usually once per every major town or city."
"But they're fantastic for training. Especially since we, uh…" Solais seemed to ask permission for a certain bit of information.
"You…what?"
"We may or may not use…lethal force, in these dungeons."
"Lethal…" Lexie said. "So, does that mean that you guys are…?"
"Yeah, the Pokemon we fight in these dungeons are very realistic, but they can be killed without any consequences. It's more preparation for the days we have to face an enemy, and the only option is to put them down for good."
"I…see. I'm not sure I'll ever take part in such a thing but…if it's absolutely necessary then, I suppose I can't help it." Lexie said. "Still…the fact that you train by actually killing opponents is…kinda horrifying, I'll be honest."
"I can certainly see why you'd think so. Even with simulated opponents, it's kind of a freaky thing to learn about at first, but it'll pass eventually." I noticed as the Lucario's markings began to fade. He was still on the defense, but his movements had begun to slow down. His armor had taken quite a bit of damage from Kaorah's attacks, and some hits had gotten through, leading to bleeding cuts on his arms and legs.
Despite how bad some of them looked, he still kept going, until the exact moment when, focused on dealing with Kaorah's strong attacks, he didn't realize he'd been pushed into range of Melanie. Not until there was a strong blast of Psychic energy into his left side. He grunted as he was sent flying.
There was a flash, and then the sound of a blade piercing flesh. Lucario growled, and I saw the expression of pain on his face. His Bone Rush dispelled as he grabbed at the pinkish-purple blade that pierced right through his torso. Despite this, he smiled.
"You are…definitely, worthy opponents." He let out a short laugh. "You have earned my respect, and the right to pass. I leave my scarf to you, Trainer. I'm sure…even now, the Kingdom, or its citizens, will recognize it. Farewell, and good luck on your travels ahead." His body began to break apart, and then dissolved into tiny flakes of blue light. The blood he had lost, quickly followed suit. The only thing left behind was the scarf he had thrown. 1,000 EXP had been gained, upon his defeat.
Carefully, I picked it up, before putting it on, in a way similar to Excalibur Umbra's scarf.
"Looks good on you." Kaorah commented.
"Thanks. Well…that's out of the way, so…shall we continue onwards?" The door leading ahead slid open, revealing the next room, and the army of false-Pokemon waiting for us. Mewtwo opened the battle with an attack, much like the beam he'd hit that Garchomp boss with, the last time we were here.
He swept it from left to right, decimating the force by vaporizing those caught in the beam, then the area descended into chaos. With four Megas against an army of weaker units, or rather, what was left of them…It's going to go by very quickly. I heard Lexie whistle when she saw the chaos.
"Can't say I've… ever seen a fight like this." She said. "So, what are those transformations, anyways?"
"That, is Mega Evolution, something that's not in Galar." I said. "It's a change in forms, likely stronger than Dynamax, even, but there's no way to test those against each other. Unlike Dynamax, though…there's a much, much longer time that it can last for. Some Pokemon can even keep it on indefinitely, with proper training."
"It seems like it's very powerful."
"Oh, definitely. It still has a one-per-battle limit, but also makes some normally bad Pokemon, competitive-wise, better. And in one case, it made the Pokemon so powerful, he was banned from all other tiers, and had a new one made specifically for him."
"Oh really? Who was that?"
"Rayquaza."
With their weights off, the rest of the team tore through the enemy in moments, and had begun to look for chests. I had made sure to grab their weights, of course, and stored them away until they were done.
"Was Rayquaza really that powerful?"
"Well, Mega Rayquaza, but yes. What really made him that powerful was the fact he could go through Mega Evolution without having to hold a Mega Stone." All it required was for him to have Dragon Ascent in his moveset.
"Yeah, I can…certainly see, why there was a ban for him…and a whole new tier." The team regrouped, with their findings. A few Nuggets, some healing items, and three more Seeds. I stored the items away, making sure to keep my inventory sorted, before we headed to the next arena door. The dungeon map suggested that this was the last room.
The boss that awaited us was…definitely unexpected. A feline, with black skin, and bright yellow fur. Black zigzag lines circled his thighs, and black marks like lightning bolts were on the backs of his forearms. His blue eyes quickly snapped between us all, before he gave his own version of a grin. His whiskers were blue, like the tuft that reached up from the front of his head, between his eyes. A long tail fluttered behind him, kinda like his own scarf, with its own lightning bolt shape. This, was one of my most favorite Legendaries…
Zeraora
Level ??
HP- 380/380
Volt Absorb
Moveset
??
??
??
??
Good luck with this one.
"Almost no information, great." Though worried, I was also pretty excited for what was coming up.
"Challengers! Welcome, welcome!" He greeted us. In the time it took me to blink, he went from his spot on the ground, to right up in my face, which startled me.
"Bloody hell." Lexie said. "Well…I think, we might be in trouble." She began to warm herself up.
"No kidding. We're all quick, but none of us are that fast." Mewtwo said. "Zeryph, I think the System threw us a curve ball, on this one."
"Let's see, how long you last, huh. Countdown! Three…GO!" He vanished again.
"Guuhh…" Melanie doubled over as he reappeared, having punched her hard in the abdomen with what was almost certainly Plasma Fists. He vanished before she even began to fall, with tears in her eyes.
"You…you…I don't like you. How about Playing Rough?" Zeraora reappeared, pouncing at Kaorah next, with his claws taking on a pink tint.
"Hmm…no THANKS." His pounce was met with a Dragon Tail. It redirected his pounce, and barely touched his HP, only dropping it by 10. I had hurried over to Melanie and pulled her up into my arms.
"That's…gonna leave a mark." She put a hand over the spot she was hit, and began to use her Restoration magic to heal any damage there might've been.
"Think you'll be okay?"
"I should be fine." She had reverted to her normal form, as well.
"We'll have you checked out in the Pokemon Center, just to be safe." I said, as I looked up from her, just in time to see Mewtwo catch an attack that he wouldn't have seen coming, without extensive sensory training.
"What?"
"So, do you believe you can move faster than I can think?" Mewtwo asked. "Let's test that, shall we."
"Mrrow!" Zeraora let out a sound of pain, his eyes widening as he was met with a full power Psystrike, at point blank range. Zeraora recovered in the air, landing on his feet.
"That actually hurt. Impressive." His HP had dropped by 30. "You might just be worth playing with, after all." He vanished when he charged. And though we couldn't see him, Mewtwo was still able to react to his attacks. He couldn't physically move fast enough, but he could use his psychic powers to at least redirect the attacks, if only barely, making them graze him.
I felt Melanie shift into a position she was much more comfortable in. She then tapped my leg and barely nodded her head to the side. And just as Zeraora reappeared, he was smacked in the side of the head by a fireball.
"Yee-owch!" He jumped away, rubbing his sore cheek, which now sported a burn. Well, there goes his attack stat, whatever it might be.
"How'd you like that ball, kitty cat?" Lexie asked. We'd been so focused on the fight, I didn't even notice Lexie preparing a Pyro Ball. I guess that's what Melanie was trying to draw attention to.
"That, was rude." Zeraora decided to focus on Lexie for the time being, but her speed, without weight training, was already very, very high. Making her at least able to partially keep up with him, though she wasn't always fast enough to block one of his hits. I saw the shift in her fighting style as Libero kicked in, and she began to face her opponent the way a Fighting Type would, rather than her normal Fire Type.
"Hey, you're keeping up, somewhat." The whole time the pair were keeping him distracted, Kaorah had been digging into the walls, using her blades to climb upwards, preparing for a huge Earthquake. Something that could take out our opponent in a single hit if it was timed right.
Mewtwo got Zeraora's attention back onto himself, when he landed another Psystrike. And the pair began to juggle his attention. When Mewtwo would attack, Lexie would look to flank the enemy, and vice versa. Zeraora showed no signs of irritation. In fact, it looked like he was having a blast. The whole time, he's been smiling away, save for whenever he got hit.
"Hey kitty," Lexie found time to speak during a break in his attacks, "look up."
"Huh" Zeraora then figured out what the plan was. "Uh-oh."
"I…" Kaorah let go and began to fall. "Have…" she pulled her legs up, and then kicked them outwards as she landed. "FURY!"
Mewtwo teleported out of the way, Pidgeotto took to the air, and Solais hastily moved to avoid the wave. Lexie jumped into the air, using Bounce, to get out of the way. Melanie used Force Cloak to protect the two of us.
Zeraora wasn't so lucky, having had almost no time to avoid it with how close it was to him. He was launched across the arena, before landing bad and tumbling, his HP rapidly dropping to one, and not going any lower.
"Ow…" He sat up in a daze, holding his head. "That…hurt." He rapidly shook his head before getting to his feet. "Well done. I was so focused on you two, that I never saw or heard what she was doing." He walked up to us. My team tensed, though relaxed when he held up his paws in a gesture that showed intent to surrender.
"I yield, no reason to fight to the death. Before I got pulled in here by…something, I was incredibly bored." His smile returned. "That was the most fun I've had in a good while, so I feel like I must say…thanks."
He offered a paw, for a handshake, which I quickly accepted. "You guys are free to continue, though I think you might be almost done. Whatever brought me here said that I was a surprise final…boss, or something." He shrugged. "I dunno what the details are, but it was fun, at least."
"And totally worth it, getting to meet one of my favorite Pokemon, was just a bonus."
"Really now? Well, thank you." He let go of my hand. "It seems that it's time for me to go home. Dunno if I'll ever see you guys again, but I'll look forward to the day I do. If the chance ever comes up, I'll make sure to come and see you guys." A portal opened up behind him.
"Good luck on your travels, everyone." He said as he went to step through. "See ya!" He then vanished without another word. Silence descended on the arena, afterwards.
"So…that was an experience." I broke the silence.
"Yes, yes it was." Mewtwo said. There was a series of flashes as he, Kaorah, and Solais, returned to their normal forms. "So…who was that, exactly?"
"That, was Zeraora, a Legendary." There was a collective look of genuine surprise when I mentioned that. The only one not surprised was Lexie, probably because she'd already known one.
"So, we just faced a Legendary, and won. Well…I definitely feel a sense of accomplishment. Who wants to go celebrate?" Everyone agreed with Kaorah's comment.
--Dungeon Three: Complete.--
--Objective: Clear the Dungeon- Complete.--
--Rewards: 10,000 cash, 5,000 EXP.--
--Optional Rewards: find in chests- Complete.--
--Rewards added.--
After taking a moment to read over the completion text, my focus went to the level up that I earned.
Level up!
Zeryph
Level 5 (1,500/5,000 to next)
HP: 310/310
Mana: 500/500
STR: 45
END: 46
AGI: 40
INT: 50
LCK: 41
CHA: 43
PER: 50
WIL: 45
I put the points that I got from it, into END, LCK, CHA, and WIL.
"What…just happened?" Lexie asked.
"I leveled up. Remember how I mentioned my stats affect all of you? Well, what you just felt, was that kicking in."
"Oh yeah, you're right. Well, it certainly feels…different." I opened an exit portal, as she was talking.
"Come on guys, let's go clean up, then go get some supper." We all left the Dungeon.
[???]
A pink flash appeared just as the team left. It was the same white and pink dragon, from before.
"Hmm…how interesting." It had taken him forever to figure out how to enter these spaces. Though it did take a little help from one of his brothers, he still did it. He was the dragon of space, after all. Dimensional shifting should be his thing too, though he wasn't as great with it as Giratina, he would admit.
"So…this is where those portals go." Speaking of which…
"Yes, it certainly seems that way. How…unusual." The white dragon spoke. The pair had seen the team fight through the horde of…false-Pokemon. It's a wonder the human, Zeryph, hadn't noticed either of them. But they were so busy fighting, that the pair guessed, they would've gone undetected anyways, so long as they were careful.
"So, Palkia, what do you think of our wild card, so far?"
"Well, Giratina, I must admit…I am unsure what to think." Palkia answered. "I haven't been on his trail as long as you or Dialga have."
"Especially Dialga, who has gone back to the moment Zeryph was brought into this world. I have no doubts that he's integrated himself into the human's timeline, in some way." Giratina let out a quiet hum.
"What do you think Father will say about all…this." Giratina waved one of his tendrils, gesturing at the space around them.
"He'll be surprised, for sure. I wonder if Dialga even knows about this part." Palkia had been briefed on that raid from a few days prior. Arceus was worried over that incident, but it passed when He had been told the reasoning for that massacre. He wasn't happy, of course, but even the Creator would accept when there was no other option. And some people just weren't redeemable.
Still, the Creation Trio knew their Father preferred to be the one to pass Judgement, but it was ultimately final Judgement that was His choice, so long as He remained in the Hall of Origin.
Palkia blinked.
"Brother, we are expected home, whenever we are able. I believe, Father may have chosen to call a meeting." He said.
"Oh, really now? Interesting…Am I to assume he wants even myself present?"
"Of course, you're as involved in this as we are, if not more-so. Let us make haste." As the pair vanished, the dungeon finally collapsed, without occupants to keep it stable any longer.